


What Now?

by Indiana_J



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-04-17
Updated: 2012-04-19
Packaged: 2017-11-03 19:59:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/385334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Indiana_J/pseuds/Indiana_J
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Collector Base might have been destroyed but now the crew of the Normandy face the consequences of working with Cerberus.  E-mails are their only way to stay in touch with Shepard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Garrus

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place in-between Mass Effect 2 and 3 and, thus, contains spoilers for ME2 and the start of ME3.

From: [Vakarian, G]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
This is bullshit.  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Vakarian, G]  
  
Well, that's the military red tape for you.  Could be worse.  
  
~  
  
From: [Vakarian, G]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
You've been yanked off the _Normandy_ , had your title stripped and are pretty much under "house arrest" on Earth.  
  
How the hell could it be worse?  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Vakarian, G]  
  
Know anyone else who came back from the dead only to almost die again but then live just for the hell of it?  
  
Besides, I might be grounded but the majority of you aren't.  I'll have eyes and ears out there thanks to you.  
  
(You okay?)  
  
~  
  
From: [Vakarian, G]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
That's cheating.  
  
(Yeah, mostly.  Think I've got about another two days of interrogating before either the Turian leaders pitch a fit and get me out of here.)  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Vakarian, G]  
  
Maybe, still going to use it to my advantage, though.  
  
Shit, they still grilling you?  
  
~  
  
From: [Vakarian, G]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
Funny how they aren't buying that whole "Cerberus hated aliens, I'm an alien, ergo, I'm not Cerberus" thing.  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Vakarian, G]  
  
Did you just use the word "ergo"?  
  
~  
  
From: [Vakarian, G]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
Spending too much time with politicians and lawyers.  Send help.  Preferably in the form of a very big gun.  
  
PS: You think if I mentioned our, erm, "interaction" and wiggle my eyebrows, they might let me (you) go?  Prove that Cerberus agents wouldn't engage in that kind of activity with aliens?  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Vakarian, G]  
  
Vakarian, you don't _have_ eyebrows.  
  
~  
  
From: [Vakarian, G]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
I'll get Joker to do the eyebrow wiggling thing, then.  
  
(You have a problem with me not having eyebrows but not about telling them?  Your priorities are weird, Shepard.)  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Vakarian, G]  
  
God, no, that's a dangerous and horrible path you'd walk with Joker.  He'd wiggle his eyebrows at you _every time_ he saw you.  
  
(Not like I'm ashamed of that night, Vakarian, or of you.)  
  
~  
  
From: [Vakarian, G]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
  
Oh.  Huh.  
  
Shit, got to go, slimy looking lawyer knocking on my door.  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Vakarian, G]  
  
Good luck, Garrus.  
  
~  
  
From: [Vakarian, G]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
You, too, Shepard.


	2. Joker

From: [Moreau, J]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
Commander, what the hell did you just do?  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Moreau, J]  
  
Nothing much, pulled a few strings, cashed in some favors.  You breathing free air yet?  
  
~  
  
From: [Moreau, J]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
"Nothing much"?  Hell, Shepard, I was one of the few people who actually _signed up_ with Cerberus.  Pretty sure the brass couldn't wait to string my brittle ass up.  
  
Oh, yeah, sure, free air.  Smells like unicorns, puppies and spring time.  
  
Actually, that's just the exhaust fumes.  Parked outside the _Normandy_ in the hopes they'll let me in without an armed guard.  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Moreau, J]  
  
They would have made you sweat, Joker, but everyone knows you're one of the best pilots around and one of the only ones who knows that ship the way you do.  They can't afford to throw you in the brig..  
  
No, they probably would have gotten you up on some charges, re-enlisted you instead of throwing you in jail, busted you down a few levels, and stuck you in the pilot's chair but made it be on their time and their orders.  
  
~  
  
From: [Moreau, J]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
In other words, not dead or drummed out but the Alliance's pilot bitch?  
  
Oh, gee, thanks Commander, that makes me feel so much better.  Sometimes it feels like I was born to fly the _Normandy_ but only if you're the one calling the shots on deck, Shepard.  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Moreau, J]  
  
Aw, who knew you were such a softie?  
  
~  
  
From: [Moreau, J]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
I hate you so much.  
  
And soft, hell, more like pragmatic.  I know what's coming and I'm not about to fly into the reach of a Reaper with anyone else but you.  
  
And about a million of your friends but, mostly, you.  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Moreau, J]  
  
I hear they're going to refit the _Normandy_ \- you able to keep an eye on them?  I put a lot of time and resources into building her, I'd hate to see them strip something just because it was flying Cerberus colors.  
  
~  
  
From: [Moreau, J]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
Don't worry, Commander, EDI and I have it under control.  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Moreau, J]  
  
Shit, EDI.  How they reacting to her?  
  
~  
  
From: [Moreau, J]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
Oh, you know, the same anyone would to a VI system.  One who only responds to me.  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Moreau, J]  
  
You're a brilliant bastard when you want to be.  
  
~  
  
From: [Moreau, J]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
Glad someone's finally recognized that fact.  
  
Also glad that you aren't freaking out that I've managed to get an AI to figure out how to _lie_.  
  
(Uh, this is a secured channel, right, Commander?)  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Moreau, J]  
  
Well, if any AI unit can lie, glad it's EDI and glad she's on our side.  
  
And, yeah.  Technically it's being watched but Anderson's the one doing it.  Don't know how he managed to pull that one off but there you have it.  
  
~  
  
From: [Moreau, J]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
... Commander, Anderson likes me, right?  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Moreau, J]  
  
As much as anyone does.  
  
(And stop calling me Commander.)  
  
~  
  
From: [Moreau, J]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
 _Shit_.  
  
(Just because some brass monkeys stripped you of the title doesn't make you not a Commander, Commander.)  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Moreau, J]  
  
Ass.  
  
~  
  
From: [Moreau, J]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
  
You know you love me.


	3. Kaidan

To: [Alenko, K]  
From: [Shepard, J]  
Location: _Drafts Folder_  
  
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION  
  
THIS CORRESPONDENCE WAS CREATED TWO DAYS AGO.  DO YOU WISH TO DELETE OR SAVE?  
  
[Save]  
  
THIS CORRESPONDENCE WILL BE SAVED FOR UP TO A MONTH.  
  
  
~  
  
To: [Alenko, K]  
From: [Shepard, J]  
Location: _Drafts Folder_  
  
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION  
  
THIS CORRESPONDENCE WAS CREATED THREE WEEKS AGO.  DO YOU WISH TO DELETE OR SAVE?  
  
[Save]  
  
THIS CORRESPONDENCE WILL BE SAVED FOR UP TO A MONTH.  
  
~  
  
To: [Alenko, K]  
From: [Shepard, J]  
Location: _Drafts Folder_  
  
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION  
  
THIS CORRESPONDENCE WAS CREATED FOUR WEEKS AGO.  DO YOU WISH TO DELETE OR SAVE?  
  
[Delete]  
  
THIS CORRESPONDENCE WILL BE DELETED.  DO YOU WISH TO EMPTY THE DELETED ITEMS FOLDER?  
  
[Delete]  
  
THE DELETED ITEMS FOLDER HAS BEEN EMPTIED AND ANY FOLDERS OR EMAILS WITHIN WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BE RETRIEVED AND MUST BE RECREATED.


	4. James

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, those of you who've been gaming for a while might get the naming of the space hamster. ;)
> 
> Also, by writing this, I realize I did kind of doom that hamster considering what happens at the start of the ME3 so - whoops?

From: [Vega, J]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
Commander, seriously, how much ~~shit~~ stuff did you have onboard the _Normandy_?  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Vega, J]  
  
What stuff?  Wasn't like the Alliance really gave me a chance to pack before grounding me.  
  
~  
  
From: [Vega, J]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
Could have fooled me.  I just helped carry a ton of boxes into your asdfkl;asefnkl;

asasfklasdfnkl;   ---------------------  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Vega, J]  
  
 _James_?!  Do I need to come up there?  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Vega, J]  
  
Seriously, Vega, I'm coming up, screw this meeting.  
  
~  
  
From: [Vega, J]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
No need, Commander, sorry for the worry.  
  
Your space hamster just went for my eyes.  Managed to catch the little bastard before he escaped out the door, though, he's back in his cage.  
  
And I've put a box on top, just in case.

 

Creepy little bastard.

 

~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Vega, J]  
  
...someone sent me Boo?  
  
~  
  
From: [Vega, J]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
His name is _Boo_?  What, are you five?  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Vega, J]  
  
Shut up, Vega, a friend named him.  
  
So, what, did a bunch of boxes and my hamster arrive today?  
  
~  
  
From: [Vega, J]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
Yes, ma'am!  
  
And, yeah, looks it.  I'll scan the from label, Commander, since it looks kind of encrypted.  
  
~  
  
*ding*  
  
PICTURE RECEIVED  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Vega, J]  
  
Oh, that was ... unexpected.  
  
~  
  
From: [Vega, J]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
Surprised?  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Vega, J]  
  
Touched, actually.  
  
Thanks for playing gopher, Vega, appreciate it.  Dinner's on me tonight after I poke through some of those boxes and see what they sent.  
  
~  
  
From: [Vega, J]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
My father raised me to help superior officers without expecting anything in return.  
  
My mother, on the other hand, didn't raise no fool.  I'll see you at dinner.  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Moreau, J]  
  
Thanks, Joker, and pass on my thanks to EDI, too.  
  
~  
  
From: [Moreau, J]  
to: [Shepard, J]  
  
Trust me, I would have done anything to get that space rat off my ship.  
  
  
  
  
(You're welcome.  EDI says hi and that she'll try to find a secure way to send you a message or two if she can without the Alliance catching onto that whole "not a VI" thing.)  
  
  
  
(Also, she's totally glad that creepy little space rat is off her ship, too.)


	5. Garrus

From: [Vakarian, G]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
Just saw a few pictures from Earth, Commander.  Looking a bit soft around the middle, aren't you?  Are you sure you're doing enough to keep busy?  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Vakarian, G]  
  
Bite me, Vakarian, there's only so many hours I can spend in that gym.  Not quite the workout one gets running from / chasing down Reapers.  
  
Also, how'd the hell did you get pictures of me?  
  
~  
  
From: [Vakarian, G]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
Joker.  
  
Running from?  Hah!  I don't think I've run from _anything_ that wasn't an outright explosion since I met you.  I vaguely recall running headfirst _towards_ a damned Collector base, Commander.  
  
Also, where did you pick up that bodyguard?  I've seen smaller Krogan.  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Vakarian, G]  
  
Joker's sending you pictures of me?  Why?  
  
Vakarian, 1, Shepard, 5.  
  
That's James Vega and he's not a bodyguard,he's my "escort".  
  
~  
  
From: [Vakarian, G]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
I think he got tired of me asking for frequent updates on you and / or he ran out of interesting vids to send over.  
  
What?  Why do you have 5 points?  
  
You have an "escort"?  What does he do exactly?  Besides run around like a gorilla.  (Seriously, he could probably bench press Wrex.)  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Vakarian, G]  
  
I'm more interesting than porn vids?  Vakarian, you charmer.  
  
You want a spreadsheet?  
  
What does it sound like?  He escorts me whenever I leave my damned room.  And he's not _that_ big.  
  
~  
  
From: [Vakarian, G]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
...damn it.  I didn't mean it like that?  Or, wait, I did?  (Which is the right answer, Shepard?)  
  
And yes, yes he is.  Also, really?  You need to have an escort to get around?  That's some fucked up shit, Commander.  
  
~  
  
From: [Vakarian, G]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
Shepard?  
  
~  
  
From: [Vakarian, G]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
Help me out here, Shepard, because answering a Turian when he thinks he's in the dog house is just considered polite.  
  
~  
  
From: [Vakarian, G]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
Shit.  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Vakarian, G]  
  
Calm down soldier, I've been in meetings (that will never actually get anything done) regarding the Reapers for the last two days.  I didn't have time to respond or even let you know, sorry about that.  
  
~  
  
From: [Vakarian, G]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
I just might have, and this is just a faint possibility and should never be mentioned again, panicked.  
  
Should I cancel that order of "I think I fucked up but I'm not sure" flowers?  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Vakarian, G]  
  
I promise not to ever mention this again.  
  
You ordered me flowers?  
  
~  
  
From: [Vakarian, G]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
You're lying.  
  
And - maybe?  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Vakarian, G]  
  
There's a strong possibility.  
  
Huh.  Well - this room does look a bit bleak so don't cancel them if you've already ordered them.  
  
~  
  
From: [Vakarian, G]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
I've seen you dance, Shepard, it's not like I don't have revenge material, too.  
  
Even when I'm not there, I still make a room pretty by my presence.  I'm just that damned good.  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Vakarian, G]  
  
Seeing and having evidence for having seen it are two separate things, Garrus.  
  
Why do I keep you around again?  
  
~  
  
From: [Vakarian, G]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
My omni-tool sports many features.  I can hack into computers, keep in touch with my comrades in arms and, oh yes my favorite thing ever, take pictures of my commanding officer getting - how did Joker say it?  Oh yes - down with her bad self.  
  
Because I'm good looking, one hell of a shot and am good with my hands?  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Vakarian, G]  
  
That's it, I'm taking that thing away from you the next time I see you.  
  
Amen to that.  
  
~  
  
From: [Vakarian, G]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
I think I need to save this e-mail for posterity's sake.  
  
Also, you can certainly _try_ , Shepard.  Remember, I have reach.  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Vakarian, G]  
  
And I've got the flexibility.  
  
~  
  
From: [Vakarian, G]  
To: [Shepard, J]

I do have a memory of that, yes.

 

Seriously, though, when do you think they'll let you off-world?  
  
~  
  
From: [Shepard, J]  
To: [Vakarian, G]  
  
I don't know, Garrus, I just don't know.  
  
But I promise you'll be one of the first ones to hear about it when they do.  
  
~  
  
From: [Vakarian, G]  
To: [Shepard, J]  
  
I'll hold you to that, Shepard.


End file.
